Russian court denies early release for former Yukos Oil executive

[JURIST] A Russian court on Friday rejected an application for parole made by former Russian oil executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky [defense website; JURIST news archive], who applied for early release [JURIST report] from Krasnokamensk penal colony [Guardian Khodorkovsky backgrounder] in July. Khodorkovsky headed the now-bankrupt OAO Yukos Oil Co. [Time backgrounder] and was sent to prison by the Russian government in 2005 to serve an eight-year sentence for fraud and tax evasion [JURIST report]. A court judge said the application was rejected because Khodorkovsky had disobeyed guards' orders, refused to participate in a training program, and is facing 20 more years in prison if convicted on new charges [press release; Bloomberg report] of theft and money laundering. AFP has more. RIA Novosti has local coverage.

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